Deception
by schu-was-here
Summary: Movieverse: Starscream is stuck in the space base with the Fallen and the hatchling colony and Megatron's coming home. They both have have important things to say to each other. Megs/Screamer in a way. Rating M to be safe.


Decepion

Disclaimer: Nope I do not own anything other than my imagination. Yep it's all mine. I also don't own the 2 direct quotes from the ROTF movie (which is too bad really).

Pairing: Megs/Screamer but not in the usual-usual way i guess...

A/N: My first actually complete fic (you can see i got probs with endings, boy do i!)

This was somewhat inspired by Kd Zeal's 'Little one' and v2point0's 'Open' and also a randomly poped idea after rewatching Megs coming home scene for like 20 times before going to sleep ._.;

Hope you enjoy it. Reviews are a nice bonus^^ Flames unwanted cuz the summer's too hot and it may result in a fire! D:

---

He knew this day would come. He was dreading it; he was longing for it. The moment he saw his master fall, the Allspark pushed into his chest by that wretched little insect of a boy, he knew the course of action the Decepticons had to take. Megatron had to be revived and brought back. And this was to happen today.

The Fallen had ordered him to stay in their base; a flier would do little good underwater and besides Starscream was the appointed caretaker of the hatchlings and had to be around them all the time, tending to the weak and underfed beings. When he first came to the spawning zone he had surprised his Decepticon comrades with an exceptional attention in caring for the hatchlings. The mechs found it quite amusing but he would stubbornly claim that the only reason for his consideration for the little ones' well being was the Decepticon army's need for new soldiers. When that didn't shut the sniggering idiots up, he would use his talons and claws, sending them to the repair bay till they learned to keep their mouths shut. Due to his obvious edginess whenever the issue was brought up, the Fallen had decided Starscream would become the caretaker. All of the flier's attempts to dissuade his decision had been silenced with a fearful ancient glare of their mighty leader.

He was furious at first. He, the second in command in Megatron's army, the Air commander of the Decepticons, reduced to a mere nanny, forced to rust in the damp halls of their base, unable to fly or to battle. Unable to take revenge for his fallen lord. Unable to bring him back. Ther was not a day when he didn't curse the Fallen for punishing him this way; he was sure it _was_ a punishment for Megatron's and thus his failure to retrieve the Cube.

But as months went by and his pain of humiliation and loss grew slightly less, he found a little comfort being surrounded by the humming blue pods. This was the future of the Decepticons he was responsible for, he came to understand. Each of the hatchlings would be a part of the new army that would fight for their cause. It gave him some pride, but it soon grew into frustration, when he saw that one by one the tiny Decepticons were dying and he could do nothing to prevent it. The colony was in dire need of energon but when he brought the matter to the Fallen he was painfully rebuked. The ancient Decepticon would not hear of his plans to search for other sources on the nearby planets, he was too blinded by his desire of revenge and his only goal was to harvest the Earth's sun, claiming it would be all the energy they would need to feed the colony.

Starscream, seeing his suggenstions only enraged his current master, abandoned his hope to make the Fallen realise the truth. The plan was risky and could easily fail seeing how the Autobots put particular effort to eliminate their spies on Earth. If that happened, Starscream, who'd grown sceptic of the Fallen's leadership, was sure that all his work to help spawn the hatchlings would be in vain, the Decepticons set back for another tens of years before they would be able to produce more of their kind.

It irritated him to no end, but he felt powerless. No Deepticon had the courage to disobey the ancient being and none of them would join him in the search for energon sources somwhere other than Earth. His anger grew more intense whenever he had to gather the stillborn hatchlings and carry their little bodies to the recycling pit, knowing that it all was going nowhere. The Fallen's colonies would never produce soldiers. He knew it in his spark and even if it was hard to admit it, the Decepticons needed Megatron. They needed the silver mech's presence and his leadership to raise up their morale and to prevent the Fallen from condemning the Decepticon cause and the future of their race.

They needed his help. He needed it.

Without Megatron he felt like one of his charges; dying without the nutrition they needed but were denied, starving slowly and painfully, feeling but not understanding the despair in their little sparks.

Starscream ground his fangs. This would change. Today. He would make sure of it.

---

The moment of Megatron's arrival was preceded by the roar of his engines and Starscream felt a shiver in his cables. With two loud thumps the gigantic leader landed and curling his claws called for the mech he had wanted to see first.

"Stascream, I'm home."

The sound of the silver mech's voice unnerved him and he had to force his paralyzed limbs to carry him towards his master and with a subservient bow he kneeled in front of the intimidating leader.

He was preparing for this moment ever since the Fallen had announced Megatron's resurrection plan. He knew what he wanted to say, how he wanted to curse his pompous leader for his incompetence and his failure to construct a plan that would not have ended in the loss of the Cube and also in his own life. Starscream was still furious that he had to experience the disappointment of being called a failure just after he had rescued Megatron but also for the leader's disregard to anything but that blasted Allspark. After millenia of frozen sleep he had thought that his lord would spare him at least a moment or at least look at him once. He hadn't been fooling himself, Megatron would never thank him for anything, his leader was too proud for that, but Starscream still had hoped for the tiniest bit of acknowledgement. Instead they were forced into the chase after the humans and the cursed Autobots, which resulted in total catastrophe. The seeker had to admit, flying under Megatron's command was exciting, something he had missed during his absence. It was as if he had been given a greater purpouse again. But the humans have stripped him of that little joy in mere hours. With his comrades and leader destroyed and dumped to the ocean, he had nowhere to go but back to the Fallen's side and receive his punishment after humiliating groveling and apologizing for his master's ineffectiveness.

Yes, Starscream wanted to tell all that to Megatron. The only problem was: he couldn't. The dominating aura of his leader pinned him down and the only thing he was able to do was his usual fawning. He was furious at his own weakness but there was something else that wouldn't let him speak his mind. He actually was relieved to see Megatron; that wasn't a lie. The familiarity of the pose, Megatron's booming voice and sharp deadly claws lifting his chin demandingly so he could look him into blazing eyes, gave Starscream a feeling he hadn't experienced in a very long time – this was home. He managed to touch his leader's hand fleetingly, confirming that it was no dream, that indeed the larger mech was there. He was angry but it didn't matter; Megatron was back.

Then he had to ruin it by mentioning taking over the leadership.

With a shriek of pain he hit the pillar as Megatron's claws closed around his neck. Terrorized with fear he managed to squeak out a warning about the hatchlings but Megatron ignored him completely. Starscream's wing nudged the blue pod, breaking it; the tiny screeching being and a little of energon that was his feed until now spilling on the floor. Starscream watched it for a dreadfully long moment, muted, with sorrow painted on his features and cursing himself and Megatron for fighting around the pods, endangering the little ones' lives.

Megatron tossed him dismissingly aside; it seemed Starscream did not want to fight. It would normally please him to see his seeker had finally learned his place but deep inside he felt something was out of place. Did something happen during the time he had been away to change his rebellious underling into this somber mech dwelling among barely alive hatchlings?

He didn't have the time to think about it now. He had to meet with his master; the Decepticons had much to do and he needed to know the Fallen's plan.

Starscream picked himself up, wiping his wing and shoulder off the wasted energon that covered him. He sighed; another one gone to waste and it wasn't even it's time to die yet. He picked the hatchling up, cradling it in his talons. A flier. He gritted his fangs watching the little creature squirm around, whining in shock and pain. Starscream clenched his fist tight; he would not condemn another one to a slow death, hoping that it would miraculously survive. He had experienced that disappointment too many times.

Still holding the little one in his hand he set out towards the Fallen's chamber. He knew that if he didn't show up Megatron would later accuse him of slacking off and forsaking his duties as second in command. He heard the deep voices coming from above the path he was on; they were speaking of Optimus Prime and his pet human. With a flare of his engines he was up on the ledge, beside the Fallen's seat, assuring them both that the boy was being monitored. He noticed Megatron looking disdainfully at his hand; he still carried the little dead body, the spoiled energon spilling on the floor. Not wanting his leaders to think he had helped the hatchling die nor to think he was being overly emotional he tossed it aside, pretending not to care.

"Without more energon the hatchlings will keep dying," he added pointing at the dead body as if this was a demonstration. And why not? Finally Megatron was here to listen to and observe the mistakes the Fallen had been repeating while he was gone. Maybe this would stir his leader to convince the ancient being to change his plans and to save the colonies from the impending doom.

However one look at Megatron's grinding fangs told him he had overstepped his boundaries.

"Insolent fool!" boomed the silver mech, striking him in the face then grabbing his wings and tossing him aside, administering the punishment.

The Fallen simply sat there, allowing his apprentice to do his unspoken bidding. He didn't want to punish Starscream himself; they needed the flier's skills if they were to succeed and he knew that even if Megatron was ruthless and violent, he would not kill Starscream. As much as the Fallen had been surprised at the fact and had not predicted Megatron nursing a soft spot for the rebellios seeker, it pleased him to learn that it was not the only foreseeable feature of his disciple. This gave him the knowledge he needed to manipulate his silver apprentice efficiently, turning him into a perfect servant. Megatron was the one faithful follower he had been waiting for for millenia; he would not fail him.

"Master, stop! Please" whined the flier as Megatron kicked him just under his cockpit, sending him crashing down from the platform. Then followed the slimy corpse, falling in front of Starscream's face.

"Know your place, little one," growled Megatron and disappeared from the edge of the platform. Silently cursing both his leader and the old mech Starscream picked up the little body and blasted off towards the recycling pit to get rid of the body.

_This would not work_, Starscream thought bitterly. Megatron was still too foolish to realise where the Fallen's actions would lead them. He suddenly felt cold inside his spark chamber, alone and frustrated; the Megatron who had left for Earth thousands of years ago was lost and this disgraceful underling, blindly following the cursed ancient mech's orders was all that was left. Starscream wanted to screech.

He landed, or rather skidded down the path and fell to his knees. Grinding both his fists, squashing the little body he was holding in the process, he banged on the floor hard, then again and again, his strained grunts turning into cries of fury. He wanted to kill the Fallen, and maybe Megatron too if he wouldn't snap out of it but what could he do against those two mechs, both of whom were far stronger than Starscream. He would have to watch his comrades fight and possibly die for the lunatic old mech's cause and the one who they all had faith in, who had brought them together and showed them their path was just going to watch it all passively, allowing this madness to unfold.

The thought of Megatron betraying them was too much. Starscream howled, intense pain spreading inside him. He couldn't hear anything beside his horrible shrieking and didn't care if anyone else was close enough to see him in this state. He was far beyond keeping up appearances, the truth was just too much for him to handle.

Then he felt claws gripping his wing, pulling him up and around. The touch was almost gentle and he was surprised to see it was Megatron holding him. He was not surprised however to see his leader sneering at him and before Starscream realised what was about to happen he was pinned to the wall, Megatron towering above him, holding him down by the neck.

"I could hear you from the Fallen's chambers," he said with a husky smooth voice, his other hand resting on Starscream's helm, stroking its surface gently. "It's good to see that some things haven't changed unlike this pathetic attitude of yours. You didn't even try to argue with me earlier. I haven't raised you to be some pathetic worm! Where's that flame that was dying to burn me so many times before?!"

"Release me!" rasped the flier, kicking his feet wildly. Megatron snirked and pinned them down with his own massive legs, stilling the struggling mech. Starscream glared at him. "If anything had changed then it's your fault, oh mighty leader. You abandoned us to that old fossil who does nothing but rave about his revenge!"

Megatron increased the hold on Starscream's neck, making him choke and gasp for air. The flier knew the punishment was inevitable, he went well too far insulting the Fallen, but he couldn't bring himself to care anymore. His eyes blazed with stubborn ferocity and Megatron bared his fangs in an ugly snarl.

"He is your master aswell, Starscream. You _will_ address him with respect!"

"I swore allegiance to _you_!" snapped the flier viciously, surprising his leader as well as himself. The words left his mouth before he could stop them and they were followed by a tense silence disturbed only by the humming of the few hatchling pods situated on the verge of the breeding zone. Megatron glared down on his subordinate, a peculiar feeling burning in his spark chamber. Starscrem averted his gaze; the truth was out and he would have to bear the consequence of his outburst, whether it was a beating or ridiculing.

But instead of a fist or a sharp remark he felt Megatron's claws from around his neck loosen their grip. One of them sneaked under his chin and pulled his head to face him. The silver mech's eyes were narrowed, peering into Starscream's own with interest and amusement.

Starscream shivered.

"Tell me, Starscream," Megatron began lightly, stroking the underside of his chin affectionatelly, like one would do to a beloved pet. "Should I punish you for this act of treachery towards the Fallen or perhaps reward your unexpected, yet not undesired loyalty to me?"

Starscream wanted to jerk his head away but Megatron's grip was strong. "If you think I deserve punishment for speaking the truth then so be it," he said through gritted fangs, his eyes staring straight into Megatron's. "And your rewards mean nothing to me because they would be as worthless as your pathetic leadership!" he spat, full aware it would earn him a slap at least.

It didn't come.

Instead Megatron laughed, his rich voice echoing throughout the corridor. "There's my second in command. For a moment I thought I'd lost you," he said, smirking. Starscream watched Megatron bow his head down with wide eyes, a genuine, although still sinister, smile spreading across his face. The flier felt a shiver again, this time of excitement rather than anxiety. Was the real old Megatron still inside the silver armor? He didn't want to allow himself to believe it yet some hope still shone in his eyes.

"My… my lord?" Starscream touched the hand holding his face and Megatron's claws uncurled to intertwin with the talons.

"Yes Starscream, it's me. And nothing has changed." His words were met with a confused stare but Megatron decided he did not need to hide anymore. "You thought that I had abandoned our cause and vowed to serve the Fallen in his quest for power, did you not?" Starscream didn't answer or nod but Megatron saw it in his eyes. "My plan was a success then. To decieve the closest one to myself means I have also decieved my old Master."

"What… how…? Megatron, you mean…" Starscream was so confused the couldn't decide what to feel; anger, happiness, disappointment, excitement or dread. With a dark chuckle Megatron released him completely, motioning for him to follow. They moved deeper into the colony, Megatron careful not to damage the pods, with Starscream trailing behind him.

After a few minutes they reached the energon dispenser, a wide glowing tube from which hundreds of cables carried the life energy into the pods. The humming was almost too loud to hear spoken words but it was comforting, just like the heat that was coming from the generator under their feet.

Starscream was about to question the choice of surrounding when Megatron pulled him into a strong embrace and manouvered him so that his wings were resting on the humming tube. He lowered his mouth towards the seekres helm, grinning with satisfaction when his second in command flinched nervously.

"It's alright, little one. I will not harm you. This is just to make sure no one will hear us." Starscream ihaled anxiously, wild ideas forming in his mind. Megatron chuckled. "Hear us talk, that is."

"Megatron, did you really mean that you've been decieving us and the Fallen all along? What is your plan?" he asked impatiently, wanting to know the real story behind his master's shameful behaviour. If Megatron was planning to betray the Fallen… Starscream could not conceal his excitement at that thought and looked expectantly at his leader.

"Quiet Starscream," Megatron silenced him with a claw resting on his mouth. "I will tell you everything but first there is something I need to do and you must help me."

"What is it, my lord?" Megatron shifted his clawed hand onto Starscream's wing and traced it's underside, earning a yelp of surprise from the embarrased seeker. "M…Megatron?" The silver mech ignored his flier and continued to navigate his digits over the smooth metallic surface until he found what he had been looking for. With a flick of a claw he opened a port in Starscream's side and delicatelly poked inside the small channel. Starscream froze.

"Wait! What are you doing?!" he shrieked, panic showing on his features. This was not the first time Megatron had shown interest in him that way but he was not sure he could take it in his current state; most of the energon in the colony was meant to feed the hatchlings and the Fallen, as they were unable to provide for themselves. This meant all the other Decepticons present in the base were forced to feed themselves outiside or put up with the meager ration of energy left for them. Starscream, as the caretaker, was bound to the colony and had to survive on a little portion of energon per day. What Megatron wanted from him required at least twice the energy he posessed, and as much as he would be eager to do this under any other circumstances, at that precise moment he was simply afraid for his own life.

He felt the claws leaving his side and move back to his leader's body to extract a narrow cable. Megatron let the winding appendage sneak over to Starscream's side as he worked on opening the other entrance. "Megatron, please!" Starcream whined, trying feebly to push the giant away.

"I've been asleep for millenia and then inactive for another two years. I have lost much energy…" He stared into the frightened orbs of his second in command, smiling as he found a hidden sign of affirmation. "You do not want me to believe that of all the mech's you would not provide me with some of yours, do you?"

"Of… of course not, Megatron," squeaked the seeker, as he felt the ports being sealed, the connection established. "But I haven't had a decent portion of energon since I've been put on the caretaker duty. I don't know if I'll handle it!"

"My Starscream, always the hero," chuckled Megatron as he bent down and forced the smaller mech on the ground, pinning his frame with his huge body. Starscrem wanted to protest but suddenly he felt a surge of energy flowing through his openings, electrifying him. He screamed but his voice didn't travel far, distorted by the loud hum of the dispenser and dispersed among the pods. He gripped Megatron's arms, forcing his talons into the silver metal, leaving deep scratch marks as his energy was being greedily sucked by his leader.

It was painful, with each pull, he felt himself weakening, his groans growing silent leaving him whimpering like the hatchlings he had found lying underneath broken pods, helpless and vurnerable. He tried to stay focused but his eyes kept leaving Megatron's fierce face, slipping into a half recharge state. He felt claws scratching his chest plates lightly, wandering lower towards his cockpit where his spark chamber was hidden. Starscream budged as he felt claws tapping on the glassy surface and with the last of his energy he forced the obstruction out of Megatron's way. For all he knew, this was his master's way of thanking him for his loyalty, and he wasn't really surprised that Megatron would choose to kill him like this. It did show him that his leader still cared for him like he used to back on Cybertron and it gave him some comfort in the last moments of his life. He supposed all of his energy was going to be absorbed by Megatron and he decided it was fate not much worse than seeing hundreds of hatchlings starve or see his master defeated and killed again.

"My Starscream…" whispered Megatron, caressing his spark chamber, his claws breaking through to his most precious part. Starscream wanted to touch his leader one last time but there was no energy left in him to move even one digit. He lay there, drained and dying, watching silently as his leader's body joints were tingling from the stolen life force, his cables and wires shuddering, filled with Starscream's power.

Then, as his eyes were slowly closing, he saw something he had never dreamed of seeing before; Megatron had opened his spark chamber and bent over the seeker's empty body, pulling his spark towards his own. Before he could even open his eyes fully, Starscream's whole body was charged with an incredible amount of energy, his every limb tensing and shaking while the two sparks danced inside Megatron's claws, shining like supernovas, sparks flying everywhere.

Starscream felt like never before; an incredible warmth, yet not like an overload and a cool breeze, yet not like freezing, spread over his body, making him extremally comfortable. His limbs finally relaxed and fell to the floor, his upper body held up by Megatron's arms, as he released their sparks letting them back in their chambers. He unplugged the cables and pulled them back inside his armor, while he stroked the dazed Starscream's helm.

"What… was that?" managed to rasp the seeker as he ralised his strenght came back to him tenfold. "What did you do? How? You said you didn't have energy yourself!"

"You have much to learn, little one," said Megatron as he pulled his second in command up. "But we have other things to discuss. I think I need you to tell me everything that had happened while I was gone."

Starscream nodded, feeling strangely calm despite his earlier breakdown and anxieties filling his mind. Somehow the strange ritual of joining their sparks had multiplied their energy and given him a feeling of safety like he had not felt for a very long time. He had no idea how that was possible but it happened, and he was finally content. His one and only leader was back and ready to form a plot to overthrow the maniacal old Fallen. With him gone, and under Megatron's leadership, unhindered by petty distractions and power struggles of the old times, the Decepticon army would rise to it's former power and return to their home planet, ready to reign over it again.

And no matter if the Allspark was lost; Starscream was ready to go anywhere and everywhere in search of the sources of energon. After all there were millions of star systems filled with energy to be harvested and with Megatron leading them, he didn't mind departing for another millenia long journey.

End.


End file.
